Automatic earth-loading vehicle.



AUTOMATIC EARTH LOADING VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1912.

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Patented Jan. 27, 19""14.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINOTON, D. c.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1912.

Patented J an. 27, 1914.

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\Ol-UMBIA PLANOORAPH 60.,WA5HINOTDN, n. c.

11.0.PUN0HB0N. AUTOMATIC EARTH LOADING VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1912.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOQRAPH C0..WASHINGTON, D.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFIGE.

DANIEL G. FUNCHEON, 01 DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO CHARLES E. OLSEN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC EARTH-LOADING- VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2'7, 1914.

Application filed June 29, 1912. Serial No. 706,728.

tains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicles adapted for excavating. This vehicle belongs to the class of excavators in which two ground wheels are employed, each equipped with flights adapted to carry earth upwardly and discharge it in a receptacle interposed between the earth-carrying wheels of the structure, plows being mounted on the vehicle for excavating the dirt and throwing it into the relatively large wheels, the flights of the wheels converting the latter into conveyers.

My improvement consists in special features of construction which will be fully described in the specification, and later pointed out in the claims.

Having briefly outlined my improved 'con-' struction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the ac companying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

7 In this drawing: Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig.2, but showing a plow raised as when the machine is not in use. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the machine taken on the line 44, Fig. 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a suitable frame-work which extends entirely around the machine in the rear, the said frame-work jThis frame, as illustrated in the drawing,

consists of a relatively heavy T-iron. Gen trally of the rear portion of the frame, on opposite ides of the vehicle, the said frame is reinforced as shown at 8 to form boxes in which are journaled the members 9 and 10 constituting the rear axle. These axle members are connected by a sleeve 12 which is made fast to the member 10 by set bolts 13, the other axle member 9 being free to turn in the sleeve in order to permit the ground wheels 14 to rotate independently of each other, as is often required in making turns.

Each of the ground wheels 14 includes a hub 15, secured to one of the shaft members 9 or 10, as the case may be, by set bolts 4, the

hub being formed integral with a relatively heavy disk 16 to which are attached spokes 17 which extend radially toward the eriphcry of the wheel a suitable distance. At the outer extremities of these radially extending portions the spokes are bent as shown at 18 and carried inwardly in a direction approximately at right angles to the parts 17 These inwardly projecting parts 19 are connected with flights 20 which are interposed between the spokes and the periphery 21 of each wheel, the wheel peripheries being relatively wide in order togive the wheels a considerable earth-carrying capacity. The

flights are held in place by means of bolts or other suitable fastening devices 22 which are passed through the arts 19 and through the flights, terminating in the peripheries of the wheels. These flights are located at suit able intervals having reference to the earth elevating capacity of the wheels.

Each earth-elevating wheel is supplied with dirt by a plow 23 which is rigidly mounted on a bar 24, the two plows being connected by a rod 25 transversely arranged between the plow bars, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. The forward extremities of these bars are pivotally connected as shown at 26 with a depending U-shaped frame 27. The plows are arranged in close proximity to the wheels 14, and they are arranged to throw the dirt into the spaces between the flights 20 of the wheels when the machine is in operation.

In order to elevate the plows, as illustrated in Fig. 3, a hand lever 28 is employed, the said lever being connected by means of a relatively long link 29 with the rod 25 connecting the bars 24 of the plows.

The lever 28 is operated in connection with a quadrant 30 with which a dog 31 is arranged to interlock in the usual manner.

The two wheels 14 are entirely open on the side toward the plows whereby the dirt disturbed by the plows may freely enter the spaces between the flights. On the outside the wheels are also open for a distance equal approximately to the length of the radial parts 17 of the spokes, thus giving the buckets formed by the flights a sufli cient depth on the outside of the wheel to prevent the dirt from escaping until it has been carried to a suflicient elevation to fall into a dirt receptacle 32 mounted on the vehicle, the said receptacle being secured upon the axle members 9 and 10, the walls of the receptacle being reinforced to form boxes 33 through which the said shaft members pass. The dirt receptacle is further supported by bars 34 which are connected with the frame-work 5 at their rear extremities whence the said bars extend forwardly to the earth receptacle then downwardly underneath the same as shown at 35, thence upwardly to a point 36 whence they extend forwardly as shown at 37 their forward extremities being secured to the cross bar 38 which is connected with the opposite side members of the main frame as shown at 39.

In order to aid in the distribution of the dirt within the receptacle 32, deflecting plates 40 are employed. These are mounted on metal straps or bars 41 whose rear extremities are connected with the rear part of the main frame 5, whence they extend upwardly and thence forwardly over the top of the dirt receptacle, the forward extremities of the said bars being secured to the cross bar 38 as shown at 12. Intermediate the extremities of the bars 41 the latter are bent as shown at 48 to conform to the inclination of the deflecting plates 40 whose upper extremities extend into the space surrounded by the treads of the wheels, while their inner extremities are located near the center of the earth receptacle. The upper extremities of these deflecting plates are spaced from the upper extremities of the side walls of the said receptacle whereby part of the earth passes between the walls of the receptacle and the deflecting plates, while the rest of the earth, as it leaves the buckets formed by the flights of the wheels, engages the deflecting plates and is carried inwardly for distributing purposes.

Connected with the forwardly located depending U-shaped frame member 27 are bars 44 which approach each other as they extend forwardly (see Fig. 1,) their for ward extremities being pivotally connected with the lower extremity of the king bolt 45 of the vehicle. These elements constitute draft bars whereby a comparatively direct pull upon the plows is obtained when the structure is in use.

The earth receptacle 32 is provided in the rear with an opening 55 which is normally closed by a door 46 hinged at 4L7. Pivotally connected with this door as shown at 48 are two curved members 57 which approach each other as they extend upwardly and forwardly, merging at a point 49 in a forwardly extending operating bar 50, the forward extremity of this bar being pivotally connected as shown at 51 with a hand lever 52 operated in connection with a quadrant 53 having the usual locking pawl 5-1 connected with the lever in the regular way. From this it will be understood that when the lever 52 is moved to the forward position (see Fig. 2) the door is closed, while when the lever is in the position shown at Fig. 3 the door is open.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved excavator will be readily understood. The machine is drawn by any suitable power, and as it is actuated, the plows which are lowered to engage the earth (see Fig. 2) throw dirt into the spaces between the flights 20 of the wheels 14, the said dirt being carried tip-- wardly as the wheels rotate and is discharged into the earth receptacle 32, the deflecting plates 40 serving to distribute the earth discharged in the said receptacle. As

soon as the receptacle has been loaded, or sufliciently filled. for the purpose, the plows may be raised and the vehicle driven to the location where it is desired to unload the dirt. W'hen this location is reached the person in charge of the machine will throw the hand lever 52 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus opening the door 46 and allowing the dirt to escape.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: V

1. An excavating machine comprisingia frame-work, earth elevating ground wheels, each wheel comprising a hub, a peripheral housing, spokes connecting the hub and housing, the outer extremities of the spokes being bent approximately at right angles to their radial portions, flights applied to the housing and suitably spaced, the bent parts of the spokes being secured to the inner edges'of said flights.

2. An excavating machine comprising a frame-work, earth elevating ground wheels, each wheel comprising a hub, a peripheral housing, spokes connecting the hub and housing, flights applied to the housing, the outer extremities of the spokes being bent approximately at right angles to their radial portions, the bent portions of the spokes being applied to the flights, and fastening devices passed through the spokes and flights for securing the said parts to the housing.

3. An excavating machine comprising a frame-work, earth elevating wheels journaled in the frame-work, a dirt receptacle mounted on the machine and interposed between the earth elevating wheels, and defiecting plates extending into the said receptacle, the said plates being downwardly inclined, their upper extremities being outermost and in the same horizontal plane with, and spaced inwardly from the upper extremities of the side walls of the receptacle whereby a portion of the earth delivered to the receptacle engages the deflecting plates, substantially as described.

4. An excavating machine comprising a suitable frame-work, earth elevating means supported by the framework, an earth receptacle arranged adjacent said elevating means, the adjacent wall of the receptacle being inclined downwardly and inwardly from its upper extremity, the said receptacle being arranged to receive the dirt as it is discharged from the said means, and a deflecting plate suspended within the receptacle, the upper edge of said plate being level with and spaced inwardly from the upper edge of said wall, the plate being inclined inwardly at a greater angle than that of the wall for distributing the dirt as it falls from the said means.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL C. FUNCHEON. WVitnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, MAY CLEMENTS.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

